At the foot of Mount Apo in Barangay Malagos, Baguio District, Davao City, sits the Philippine Eagle Center (PEC), an 8.4-hectare facility adjacent to the Malagos Watershed that is being run and operated by the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF).
In partnership with the local government of Davao City, the PEF is now developing another facility to relocate the breeding pairs at the PEC. It is a preventive measure in case of an outbreak of zoonotic diseases that can wipe out the entire Philippine eagle population at the center.
At the same time, the PEF is leveling up its conservation breeding program by attempting, for the first time, a captive breeding that will hopefully boost the chances of survival of the eagles bred in captivity upon release to their natural habitats.
“While we are constructing a new facility, the fortification of PEC is continuing,” said Jayson Ibanez, director for Research and Conservation at the PEF, told the BusinessMirror in an interview on February 27.
“Recently we completed a solid perimeter wall around the pre-existing facility. This coming Arbor Day, we will plant trees as buffer along its perimeter,” Ibanez added.
Rescue and rehabilitation center
The PEC has served as home for rescued Philippine eagle, a critically endangered species that is endemic to the Philippines, and other endangered birds of prey, including wild animals, for 35 years now.
The PEC currently houses 32 Philippine eagles—either rescued or bred in captivity—which number has significantly increased since the conservation breeding program started in the early 1990s.
So far, the PEC has produced a total of 29 Philippine eagles, half of its number are still alive.
Besides the Philippine eagle, the Pinsker’s hawk eagle is also being bred in the facility, with 10 of this unique species have been bred in captivity.
Previously thought to be a common hawk eagle, the Pinsker’s hawk eagle is now viewed as a distinct species. It is endemic to Mindanao and could be distinguished because of its crown-like feathers on the head.
Wild animal sanctuary
While it is primarily dedicated to the conservation breeding and rehabilitation of eagles, the PEC also serves as a conservation education and tourist destination in Davao City.
Besides raptors, the PEC serves as home to other wildlife, such as the Brahminy kite.
Other unique birds found in the PEC are the white-bellied sea eagle, Philippine serpent eagle and the giant scops owl.
The PEC is also a sanctuary for the Philippine warty pig, Philippine brown deer, Asian palm civet, a crocodile that is older than the facility itself, and other wild animals.
Tender loving care
All the wild animals found at the PEC are rescued after they were shot or severely injured, confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade, or hatched for breeding purposes, Ibanez said.
“All of the eagles and other species here are provided the tender loving care they deserved. While they can no longer be released back into the wild, we make sure that their stay at the center is pleasant,” he said.
Ibanez pointed out that “they are well protected, well fed and they serve very important purposes, like for information and education or breeding.”
Tourist destination
The PEC is not a tourist magnet because of the wild animals alone. It is also a small park in its own right.
The PEC Trail, divided into different areas, are learning opportunities with the help of a PEC tour guide.
Visitors learn about different wildlife through the Raptor Road, Talon Alley, Macaque Island, Eagle Duplex Enclosure, Hawk Walk, Rainforest Walk, Pairing Dome, Brown deer, Crocodile enclosures and audio visual presentations.
The Flight zone within the PEC, meanwhile, is an open area—a hub for the rescued birds’ enrichment activities.
It is used for flight demonstrations and socialization with their keepers and guests. It gives the birds a creative outlet for the physical facility, as well as a mental exercise.
The enrichment activities, the PEC said, gives sanctuary animals options on how else to spend their time.
The PEC Arboretum and Nursery were put up recently in partnership with the Energy Development Corp.
While still in its initial phase, the Arboretum ensures the perpetuation of endemic and even rare floral species in the center for public viewing.
It also serves as a library of trees, as well as a source of wildlings for future nursery establishment and eventually, tree-planting.
Breeding sanctuary
The soon-to-be constructed Philippine Eagle Conservation Breeding Sanctuary (PECBS), a 13-hectare forest in Barangay Eden, Davao City, will be better and bigger, devoid of threats that are already looming at the PEC.
At the recent soft launching of the PECBS, Ibanez said the facility within a 105-hectare reservation in Davao City will house seven breeding cages and six duplex cages for a total of 26 Philippine eagles.
Only breeding pairs of the Philippine eagle will be brought to the new breeding facility once they are ready, Ibanez said.
The target date for moving in is on April 22, Earth Day, with three eagle pairs as its first residents.
Identified for first batch of transfer are pairs Pangyan and Agsamon, Ariela and MVP Matatag, and Hiyas and Magiting, Ibanez said.
“This is in response to the increasing threat to the Philippine eagle at our current facility in Barangay Malagos in Davao City. The establishment of a new breeding sanctuary that is isolated, away from human communities, major roads and potential sources of disturbances is part of our initiative to further protect our captive eagles,” he explained.
Ideal breeding ground
According to Ibanez, the cages that will be built at the new facility will be designed for natural breeding and incubation, as well as natural rearing.
“There will be a nest platform, a feeding platform, but there will be a back door at the nest platform that we can open just in case we need to intervene to retrieve an egg or eaglet,” he explained.
“We will level up Philippine eagle conservation breeding through this approach. Doing so also imprints captive-bred eaglets to its kind, and this can make our future releases back to the wildly successful,” Ibanez said.
Dominic Tadena, senior animal keeper and manager of the Conservation Breeding Program at PEC, said the new facility will be better with the humidity in the area and isolation from human activities, will allow natural breeding.
PEC has two methods of eagle breeding. The eggs are produced through natural pairing and artificial insemination.
Its personnel are in charge of rearing the eaglet upon hatching around two months after being placed in an incubator.
“There are birds who do not accept the same species, which is why artificial insemination is also used. When the male is in heat, we take semen and inject it into the female to produce the egg,” Ibanez said.
He said the humidity at the new facility is ideal for natural breeding.
He said this will be the first time the PEF will attempt to allow natural breeding. Meaning after natural pairing, the eagle pairs will be the ones to incubate the egg. Upon successful hatching, the parent eagles will be allowed do the natural rearing, unlike at the PEC wherein puppets are used by PEF personnel to feed the chicks.
“With this new method, if successful, we will have better chances of eagles surviving in the wild upon their release,” Ibanez added.
Pride of Davao City
Davao City considers the Philippine eagle and hosting the PEF facility as its pride and honor.
Interviewed by the BusinessMirror, Councilor Tek Ocampo, chairman of the Environment Committee of the Davao City Council, said Mayor Sebastian Duterte is very supportive of the relocation of the Philippine eagle to help the PEF protect and conserve the country’s national bird.
“We, at the government, are supporting the project of the PEF. This is important because this will ensure the safety of the eagles. We, at the City Council, of course, support this. For us, the Philippine eagle is our pride. Because the Philippine eagle is our national bird,” Ocampo said.
He said the Eden Nature Reserve is the perfect place to erect the sanctuary.
Protected against threats
Unlike in Barangay Malagos, the would-be breeding facility in Barangay Eden will be “off limits” to poultry and gamefowl farms.
Lt. Rey Vallejo (Ret.), of the Public Safety Office and Security Command Center assigned at the nature reserve in Barangay Eden, said 13 personnel will be conducting regular patrols in the area to prevent illegal settlers and prevent destructive human activities, including the construction of buildings in the area.
“There will be regular patrolling, including the Bantay Gubat [Forest Guards]. To prevent human encroachment and construction of buildings or any infrastructure in this area,” Vallejo said.
Engineer Mildred Martinez, a consultant at the Eden Task Force, said the city government plans to develop the 105-hectare reserve into a nature resort, but assured the 13-hectare of the PEF will be “off-limits” to such a development project.
“We will develop this area for ecotourism, to generate revenue and help sustain the operation. Of course, the PEF facility will be spared from the development that will take place here,” she assured.
Image credits: PEC